Jason Bateman Comes Out to 'Play'

Kevin Macdonald ("The Last King of Scotland") is directing the film, which is set up at Universal.

The original miniseries was scripted by Paul Abbott and directed by David Yates. Matthew Michael Carnahan took the first crack at the American script, which features Pitt as a former political operative who uses his connections to become a reporter. Things get complicated when he begins investigating a murder involving a rising congressman (Norton) and even has an affair with the politician's estranged wife.

Bateman will play another reporter trying to track down the big story, according to Variety.